Same-Sex Conflicts

IOWA

In re Brown and Perez;

Alons v. Iowa District Court

Two Iowa women who celebrated a civil union in Vermont sought a divorce in Iowa. The trial court initially granted the divorce but later amended its order to grant an equitable dissolution of the civil union. (Brown v. Perez)

Non-parties who opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions attempted to intervene, but the state high court rejected that attempt in a related proceeding. (Alons v. Iowa Dist. Ct.)

Documents

Iowa District Court

• Decision (Nov. 24, 2003; amended Dec. 24, 2003) (Brown v. Perez) (Decree, Equity No. CDCD 119660)

Iowa Supreme Court

• Amicus Brief of Lambda Legal et al.
• Decision (June 17, 2005) (Alons v. Iowa Dist. Ct.) (reported at 698 N.W.2d 858 <WL> <Lex>) <original Word version>

Press Release

• Lambda Legal: Iowa Supreme Court Rejects Antigay Activists’ Claims in Lesbian Civil Union Dissolution Case: Lambda Legal Declares Victory (June 17, 2005)
• ACLU: ACLU Applauds Iowa Supreme Court for Allowing Lower Court to Dissolve Lesbian Couple’s Civil Union (June 17, 2005)

More Information

• Barbara J. Cox, Using an “Incidents of Marriage” Analysis When Considering Interstate Recognition of Same-Sex Couples’ Marriages, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships, 13 Widener L.J. 699, 742-45 (2004)
• Frank Santiago, Judge Revises His Ruling on Lesbians’ Divorce, Des Moines Reg., Dec. 31, 2003